Flotation device



V. GUINZBURG.

FLOTATION DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED Dic. 1a, |920.

Patented July 5 INVENTOR f LQI /15 ATTORNE Aartreste" VICTOR GUINZBURG, 0F NEEN' YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO B..KLET1\TERT RUBBER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEVJ' YORK.

FLOTATION DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patent-ea any 5, i921.

Application filed December 1S, 1920. Serial No. 431,686. l

To @ZZ whom t vmay concern:

Be it known that' I, ,Vieron GUINZBURG, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Tmprovement in Flctation Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a iiotation or i swimming device in the nature of an inflatable bag having means for securing it to the body and adapted to support the body while in the water.

The object of this invention is to provide a device which will be simple in construction and economical in manufacture, which will be effective in operation and which can be worn without interfering with the movement of' the body while swimming.

A further object of thisinvention is to provide a device of this character `which can be folded compactly when deflated so that it will occupy but little space.

With these objects and other objects in view, I have devised the particular arrangement of parts hereinafter set forthl and more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof in which- Figure l is a planview partly in section, of a flotation device made in accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View of the same on the line Q-Qof Fig. l,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of one corner of the device showing the constructionv of the iniation valve;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a corner of the inner inflatable casing showing one of the securing tabs; Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5--5 of Fig. l looking in the direction of the arrows; and Y Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Throughout the various views of the drawing, similar reference characters designate similar parts.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, as disclosed in the accompanying dra. ing l. indicates an outer casing which is preferably made of any textile material and which is substantially rectangular in shape.

This casing may be made by transversely folding a section of material and securing three of the edges together. The edges of the bag l may be secured together by stitching 2. At 8 is shown an inner nnpervious, infiatable bag which is preferably made of sheet rubber and is adapted to be inflated to distend the outer casing. The inner casing 3 is preferably of a rectangular form to conformto the outer casing and it has its edges united in any suitable manner,

and these edges are reinforced by suitable binding strips 4. A s

Projecting yfrom ysuitable points on the inner casing 3`a're la Vnumber of securing tabs 5 which, in this instance, project from the four corners of the bag. These tabs 5 enable the interiorcasing 3 to be secured in position within the outer bag 1, whereby it retains its position within the outer eas-V ing. The tabs 5 maybe secured Vto ythe outer, casing 'l in any desired manner and I have shown them Vsecured by the edge stitches 2 of the outer bag or casing l. This construction is disclosed in Fig. 6.

At 6 is shown the inflation valve which consists of al collapsible or fiexible rubber tube 7 which extends into the interior of the inner casing 3. This tube 7 is cemented or otherwise secured to the inner casing 3 and secured within the tube Y isa threaded sleeve 8. The sleeve 8 projects on the outside of the outer casing l and is adapted to rece'ive a closure cap9 to prevent the escap of air from the interior'casing 3.

It will be seenthat the inner bag 3 may be inflated by means of air blown through the `sleeve 8 and through the flexible' or col* lapsible tube 7. To prevent the escape of air while the cap 9 is being placed in position, the flexible or collapsible tube 7 may be squeezed or pressed together.

At l() are the tapes which are utiliaed to secure the device about the body of the user. These tapes are attached to the exterior bag l through the medium of the tabs l1. The tabs ll each consistv of a section of material. folded upon itself with the tapes 10 lying between the folded portions and held therein by cementing or stitching.

If desired, however, the tabs 1l may consist of two sections of material adhesively secured together or stitched together with the ends of the tapes lOlsecured between them.

it will be seen that the two lsctions of each Cri ltab ll embrace a portion oi'i the outer casing l bcti 'een tliein and are secuied to said casing` l by means of stitches l2, i3 and 1A, This paitculaiconstruction aiiords stiong` and substantial method of attacllingthe tapes in position n'fithout the necessity for gein foi-ating the interiol inflatable bag.

rlho completed double bag is substantially of iectangulai loi'ni and is secured to the body by Ineansoi' the tapes l0. The bag is ieely pivotal in any diiection that it may be ,loved in by the pressni'e o' the Weten rEhe outer casing of the device is preferably made ot strong p'i'etective textile Inateiial and it acts es protective casing for the in'eiioi' casing which is `pieiferably of soft sheet rubber and unless protected Would be liable to injufy.

ln addition, the outei1 casing' boing` nonstrotc hable causes the inneil casing when in-y tlated7 to contorni to its shape thus preventing` ythe interior casing from being` inflated to too great an extent. p

The mannei1 in which the inner casingY is secured in position enables the device to be constructed easily and by means of stitching', and the innei casing is easily positioned Within the outer casing by the tabs 5, With all likelihood of the inneil casing` being` punctuied, avoided.

lli-om the foi'esfoing, it is obvious that my invention is not to be restricted to the exact embodiment showin but is broad enough to covei` all structuies coming Within the scope .of the annexed claims.

l lVhat l claim is:

i. ji device o the class described comprising an inflatable body and outer covering corresponding in shape to said inflatable body7 means for seeming said inflatable body in covering, tabs pendant from the outeiI c veline' and securino taoes held Within the tabs and piiojecting therefrom. y

2. i device oit the class desciibe-:l coin pising` a substantially vi'ecte-ngulai` inflatable body7 tabs extending` thee'fiom, an outei casingfor said inflatable body, said inflatable body being vicios eninsnnne.

securing tapes secured Within its outer cas- 

